


Something Borrowed, Something New

by Raven_Knight



Series: Jedi Lineage [7]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Accidental matchmaking, Don't copy to another site, Dooku is strict with Qui-Gon, F/M, Gen, Jedi Archives, Knight Dooku, Padawan Jinn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-07 00:24:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18861976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven_Knight/pseuds/Raven_Knight
Summary: Qui-Gon Jinn had only been claimed as Knight Dooku’s Padawan for three weeks before he’d managed to get himself into trouble with his Master.





	Something Borrowed, Something New

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. This piece, archived at Archive of Our Own (Ao3), is purely a non-commercial work of fiction from which I am not profiting in any way. This work may not be reproduced, archived, or redistributed by any means and/or in any format without prior written permission from me. Permission may be obtained by contacting me at r4v3n.kn1ght@gmail.com. ~ RK 
> 
> Regardless of what canon or supplementary novels say is Dooku’s first name (though I’ve heard somewhere that Dooku is his first name!?) – I don’t care. In an earlier fic I wrote called Change in Status, I decided to call him Aren Dooku, and that’s what I’m sticking with whenever I write Dooku. I like the meaning and sound of it. Call it artistic license applied to fic writing. 
> 
> This story is related, but not entirely connected to Change in Status. You don’t need to read that one to understand this one. Enjoy the fic, everybody! ~ RK

**Something Borrowed, Something New**  
**by**  
**Raven Knight**

Qui-Gon Jinn had only been claimed as Knight Dooku’s Padawan for three weeks before he’d managed to get himself into trouble with his Master. He’d been at the small dining table in their shared quarters working on a research project for one of his courses when his Master returned. Interested in what his Padawan was doing, Knight Dooku came over and read over the boy’s shoulder. Qui-Gon tried not to be intimidated and continued to work.

“What is all over that document?” Dooku’s deep voice asked.

Qui-Gon’s body froze but his eyes went right to his half-empty cup of tea. Perhaps he should have taken the cup back into the kitchen and removed all evidence of the incident. Surely his Master would put the pieces together. Knight Dooku was no fool. “It was an accident,” he admitted.

Dooku lifted a page of the hastily dried ancient tome to inspect it. He sighed in disappointment and let the crinkly page fall. “I know the ancient texts in the Archives are not in the best of condition, but this one looks like you might have removed it from the stomach of a sarlaac among partially digested corpses.” Qui-Gon flinched. “You’ve quite possibly ruined this relic with your carelessness, Padawan. Do you realize that?”

Qui-Gon hung his head miserably. “Yes, Master.”

“Is it truly that difficult for you to care for a book?”

“No, Master.”

“I understand if the spine is cracked after hundreds, if not thousands, of years of use, but this!” Dooku tapped a disapproving fingertip to the wrinkled, stained pages of the book. “This is blatant disrespect to the Archives, the material, and the History of our Order.”

Qui-Gon had nothing to say to his Master, nothing that would curb the tongue-lashing Dooku gave him. “I’m sorry, Master,” he said. “I ask your forgiveness.” He couldn’t look at his Master.

Dooku lifted his apprentice’s eyes higher with a touch of his fingers to the boy’s chin. “It is not my forgiveness you need to earn.”

Qui-Gon found out what exactly his Master meant over the next three weeks. When he wasn’t in classes or training with his Master, he was to complete his punishment, not permitted to visit with friends or conduct leisure activities of his own. He finally finished the tedious task and nervously presented the finished chore to Dooku for final review. He’d dismissed Qui-Gon to his sleep chamber for the evening. Qui-Gon lay in bed sleepless, wondering if his Master would find his work satisfactory or wanting.

The next morning, Dooku’s voice spurred him into action from the other side of the door. “Before your first class, Padawan, you will report to the Archives. I will accompany you to be sure you go. Master Archivist Nu is expecting us.”

Qui-Gon leaped from bed and scrambled to dress as quickly and as presentably as he could. He quickly did his morning ablutions and dashed into the common area and straight for the kitchen. He stretched to grab a bowl for a quick breakfast. If he were efficient, he might have time for a quick cup of tea.

“You’re late, Padawan.” Qui-Gon’s hopes were dashed. He turned to his Master and bowed respectfully. Dooku guided the boy from the kitchen with a hand on his back. “Here is your work.” He handed Qui-Gon the damaged tome, a datapad for his classes, and a pouch. “Come.” He didn’t give Qui-Gon the opportunity to backtrack or fetch anything, not with his hand planted on his back leading him out of their quarters. Qui-Gon was glad to have remembered his lightsaber when he dressed. Otherwise, he would have been an embarrassment to his Master by walking about without his lightsaber.

They walked to the Archives in silence. The closer they got, the more reluctantly Qui-Gon walked. Had it not been for his Master’s hand propelling him forward, Qui-Gon probably would never have arrived at the Archives. Perhaps Knight Dooku had known this about Qui-Gon and that motivated him to escort his Padawan to make sure he showed up. That had been his Master’s plan the entire time. Qui-Gon stopped walking at that realization. “Come, Qui-Gon,” Dooku ordered, shoving him forward with the hand at his back.

Master Archivist Jocasta Nu, newly appointed head authority over the Jedi Archives, stood imposingly at the far side of the sprawling chamber, her arms crossed at her chest and her posture intimidatingly rigid and upright. She looked the picture of unforgiving sternness. Qui-Gon stumbled but righted himself quickly. He did not want to talk to her. She looked like she was about to skewer him for his offense. They finally completed the long, slow, echoing walk of Qui-Gon’s academic execution and halted before her. Qui-Gon gulped.

“Good morning, Master Archivist,” Dooku said, formally. He gestured to Qui-Gon. “I believe my Padawan has something he would like to say to you.”

Qui-Gon distantly heard the words and recognized them to be his cue to begin talking. He opened his mouth, but no words emerged. He cleared his throat and tried again. Nothing. She stared at him, her eyes hard. Qui-Gon closed his eyes and sunk into the Force to find his center and his calm focus, and mentally counted to ten before opening his eyes again. He faced Master Nu directly and found his voice that time. “Four weeks ago I borrowed this text from the Archives. Three weeks ago, I accidentally spilled my tea on it while it was open and I did research. I ruined the text.”

His bravery shook as Nu’s gaze grew frigid by his admittance of his unforgivable offense. He pressed forward. As he continued, however, he bowed his head to show humility. “My behavior was reckless, foolish, and irresponsible. With meditation, I also realized that my actions showed a huge disrespect towards you, this text and its age and significance to Galactic History, the Archives, and the work you do every day to keep it in smooth working order.”

Qui-Gon paused, swallowed, and waited. Had his apology earned a response yet? Was he forgiven?

His Master cleared his throat pointedly. Qui-Gon glanced at Dooku who nodded sharply to the items Qui-Gon held flat in front of himself. Qui-Gon huffed at his own stupidity. How could he have earned Master Nu’s forgiveness when he hadn’t given her a reason to forgive him for his carelessness? Admitting his mistake and fault was only half of his apology.

Qui-Gon snuck a peek at Master Nu, who still looked most unimpressed by him and his apology. Qui-Gon’s resolve firmed. Even if what he was about to do seemed exaggerated and dramatic, he decided that a ridiculous, polite, grand gesture would do more for him than seeming like he didn’t try hard enough. Qui-Gon went to one knee before Master Nu and bowed his head until his chin touched his chest. “I have spent the last three weeks since the incident of my carelessness digitizing the text I have ruined.” He offered the damaged text and the pouch to Master Nu. “I hope that my work will let other Jedi still use this text in their research even if they can’t use the actual book. The data files of it are in the pouch. I apologize for my actions and am sorry that I had to keep it longer to make it available for others to look at for their work.” His anxiety spiked when she did not take his offerings.

“And?” his Master prompted.

“And I will never drink tea around ancient texts from the Archives again.”

“Wrong,” Dooku said.

“And I will never eat or drink _anything_ around ancient texts from the Archives again.” He knew he’d gotten the wording right when his Master didn’t correct him.

The damaged book and the pouch that rested atop of it were taken from him. He hesitantly looked up at Master Nu and was surprised to see sternness at war with amusement in her face. What an odd combination! Did this mean he’d failed? He slumped, thinking he had not been forgiven after all and his efforts over the last three weeks were for nothing. His despair lifted at four simple words from Master Nu. “Thank you, Padawan Jinn.” She smiled at him. “You’ve ensured this knowledge is not forever lost to our Order. Rise, and well done, young one.”

Qui-Gon stood, a shy smile on his lips and in his eyes. He sought approval from his Master. It was subtle, but Qui-Gon still found it there even as his Master said nothing to indicate it. He only said, “To class, Padawan.” Qui-Gon turned, tucked his datapad under his arm, and started off out of the Archives.

He glanced back when Master Nu laughed in the otherwise quiet Archives. “You had your Padawan digitize the entire thing as a punishment? It was only a little spilled tea, Aren.” She clutched the ancient book to her body with one arm, while she held Qui-Gon’s digital-copy disc in the other hand. ”I’m sure it’s been through worse than that.”

Dooku smiled. Qui-Gon stumbled at the sight as he continued towards the exit. “Well, Jocasta, I wanted to be sure that disrespectful nonsense like this won’t happen again from my Padawan.”

Madam Nu returned his smile as she tucked the disc into her robes. Her hand now free, she cupped Dooku’s jaw. “Thank you.”

Deciding that he did not want to witness anything that could get either Masters in trouble for violating the code of attachment, Qui-Gon whirled back around and practically ran from the Archives. He reached his class early.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this little foray into tiny-Padawan Qui-Gon and Knight Dooku's lives. Leave a comment on your way out, please! Thank you! ~ RK


End file.
